My Celestial Ascension

"12 million gold coins!" A sudden, unfamiliar voice resounded from VIP Room 9, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

The crowd turned to the room, curiosity etched on their faces. Who did this room belong to? After all, it had been silent since the auction began, showing no interest in any treasures until now. Speculations about the identity of its occupant began to swirl.

"12 million? She increased the bid by two million just like that?" Elias exclaimed, visibly shocked by the sudden offer from VIP Room 9. He couldn't help but wonder who had made such a bold bid for the Mermaid's Tear.

"Young Master, the person in that room must be from one of the Ten Great Families. No one outside of them could afford to spend that kind of money so casually," the Magic Knight Captain said, his expression serious. Even he seemed taken aback by the abrupt bid.

Elias nodded, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "I agree. It has to be someone from the Ten Great Families. I'm certain of it."

"13 million!" Elias shouted a few seconds later, pressing the bid button.

Determined, Elias resolved that, even if he had to spend fifteen million gold coins, he would claim this treasure. This time, he wouldn't back down.

Just as Elias raised the bid, another voice rang out from a different room. "14 million!" Heidi called, pressing her button with determination.

'Did you forget about me?' Heidi thought with a wicked grin. 'I won't let you have this treasure, Elias. It's mine, no matter what!'

Standing beside her, Veni couldn't hide her amusement as she observed Heidi's fierce expression. 'It seems the Young Lady is getting serious now. Just wait, you Silver bastard! Soon, my Young Lady will crush you like an ant and toss you aside!' Veni laughed inwardly, excitement building for the auction's outcome.

"14 million!" Another voice boomed, this time from King Richard's VIP room, shocking the audience once again.

'I'll fight to the end,' King Richard thought, his smile confident. 'Don't think I'll back down just because you're from the Ten Great Families. This treasure will be mine.'

Matilda and Aurelia, sitting beside Richard, beamed with pride. Their husband was no fool, and he knew how to make smart investments.

"Raise the bid, Richard!" Matilda encouraged enthusiastically.

"Yes, we have nothing to fear," Aurelia added. "Thanks to Yuan and his wives' contributions to the kingdom, we have more than enough gold."

"Husband, go for it! We both support you in any decision you make," Aurelia said with a sweet smile, her voice loud enough to convey her excitement. Matilda nodded in agreement, sharing the same sentiment.

"Thank you for your unwavering support, my dear wives," King Richard said warmly, nodding at both women with gratitude.

"15 million!" Denise Drake's voice suddenly boomed from his VIP room, causing a ripple of shock throughout the crowd. Many people gasped, their eyes wide at the escalating price.

"16 million!" Ajex quickly countered, raising the bid by another million. Denise gritted his teeth in frustration, his irritation evident.

"17 million!" Emperor Philip declared, adding yet another million. The rapid escalation left the audience reeling as the value of the Mermaid's Tear soared.

"19 million!" A cold, feminine voice rang out from VIP Room 9, silencing the murmurs for a brief moment before triggering an even greater uproar.

"Who is in VIP Room 9? She keeps raising the price by two million each time! Just how much money does she have?"

The stadium buzzed with speculation, disbelief etched across everyone's faces. Continue your journey with empire

Inside VIP Room 9, a mature woman reclined on an opulent sofa. Her beauty was striking, her figure seductive, and her tight black dress clung to her curves. Her aura exuded elegance and confidence.

"Lady Aisha, are you sure it's worth spending 19 million gold coins on this treasure? After all, it's just a drop of a mermaid's tear," a middle-aged man, Uncle Jones, said cautiously. Concern lined his face as he tried to reason with her.

"Uncle Jones, you don't understand its value," Aisha replied, her voice soft but tinged with icy resolve. Her gaze never wavered from the treasure. "That isn't just a tear from an ordinary mermaid. It belongs to the Princess of the Mermaid race."

"What?! That's unbelievable! H-How can you be sure that tear belongs to the Mermaid Princess?" Jones stammered, his voice trembling with a mix of excitement and disbelief.

"I read about it in a very old book," Aisha said, her tone steady and laced with pride. "The bright blue hue of the tear is the unmistakable mark of the Mermaid Princess."

Jones stared at her, absorbing her words. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke hesitantly. "By the way, Lady Aisha, before the auction began, I noticed four individuals who bore striking similarities to you. Three were women, and one was a very handsome young man."

"What did you just say?!" Aisha snapped her head toward Jones, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. For a moment, she seemed almost dumbfounded.

'Could the people Uncle Jones saw be my Elder Sister and her family? It's possible. After all, because of her illness, my foolish father sold her to some no-name person.' Aisha's thoughts spiraled, a flood of questions surfacing in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that this might be the lead she had been searching for.

Turning to Jones with a serious expression, she demanded, "Tell me everything you saw at that moment, Uncle Jones."

"Of course, Lady Aisha," Jones replied with a polite smile, beginning to recount the scene when he spotted the group of people.

As he described the stunning individuals he had seen, Jones couldn't help but marvel again at their divine beauty. Their faces lingered in his memory, leaving an impression that was hard to forget.

Aisha listened intently, her focus unwavering. She didn't want to miss a single detail. She had been searching for her Elder Sister, Anna Grace, for nearly 27 years, and so far, every lead had come to nothing.

The memory of her mother's heartbreak haunted her. From the moment her cruel father had abandoned his sickly daughter, their family had been shattered. Her elder sister, whose body was already frail, had been discarded like she was nothing.

Aisha clenched her fists. To this day, both she and her mother despised her father for his heartless actions. Her mother, devastated by the loss, had begged to see her eldest child for over two decades.

"And that's everything I saw," Jones concluded, his recollection vivid. He described the striking resemblance between Aisha and the three women in the group, as well as the handsome young man who appeared to be related to them.

"So, there were two women who looked alike but had different hair colors—one black and the other white—along with a third woman with snowy white hair and a young man who also resembled them closely," Aisha muttered under her breath. She was deep in thought, trying to piece together the identity of the group Jones had described.

"Do you know which VIP room they're staying in?" she asked, determination flashing in her eyes. "Once the auction ends, I'll take a short break and go meet them personally. I need to know if they're connected to my Elder Sister."

"It's VIP Room 1, Lady Aisha," Jones responded promptly. "They seem to have some connection to the Imperial Family, as I saw Lady Valeria and Lady Vanessa accompanying them closely."

"I see… Thank you for this information, Uncle Jones. It means a great deal to me," Aisha said, a rare smile gracing her lips.

Meanwhile, the auction continued, and the price of the Mermaid's Tear skyrocketed to 28 million gold coins. Two other families from the Ten Great Families—the Rylee Family and the Grendel Family—had joined the bidding war. Both families were renowned for their immense power and vast wealth, further fueling the already heated battle for the priceless treasure.

From the Rylee Family, Young Master Vincent Rylee had come to represent his family with the mission of acquiring one of the Legendary weapons. However, upon witnessing the fierce competition in the auction, he quickly realized that obtaining such a weapon would be far more challenging than he had anticipated.

As for the Grendel Family, Gina Grendel was their representative. While her public goal was to obtain a Legendary weapon to fight powerful magical monsters and bring honor to her family, her true motive was more strategic. Gina sought to solidify her position as the next leader of the Grendel Family. With a Legendary weapon in her possession, her claim to leadership would be undeniable, and the other heirs would think twice before challenging her.

A few moments later, King Richard raised the stakes, offering 31 million gold coins for the Mermaid's Tear. The sheer amount stunned the crowd, leaving everyone speechless.

"Since no one else is bidding for this item, the treasure now belongs to VIP Room Number 11 for 31 million gold coins! Congratulations to VIP Room Number 11 on winning this priceless treasure—the four-hundred-year-old Mermaid's Tear!" Teressa announced, her cheerful voice reverberating through the stadium and causing an uproar among the audience.

Inside VIP Room 11, King Richard celebrated his victory with his wives and children. His joy was evident, and the entire family shared in his happiness.

"Congratulations on winning, Husband! You amazed everyone today!" Queen Matilda said, her excitement shining on her face as she hugged him tightly and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, today our Husband left everyone speechless! I'm so proud of you!" Aurelia added, hugging him as well and kissing his other cheek.

Moments later, two elegant women entered the room. One carried an ornate wooden box, while the other held a large ledger.

"Please forgive us for entering unannounced, Your Majesty. We are here to deliver the treasure you purchased and collect the payment," one of the women said respectfully, signaling her companion to place the box on the table.

She continued, "Please verify the contents of the box before making the payment. Once the payment is completed, refunds will not be issued."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

King Richard carefully inspected the treasure. Satisfied, he handed over the payment—31 million gold coins stored in ten high-ranking magical pouches. These pouches, enchanted to hold vast amounts, reflected the royal family's wealth and preparedness.